Magical Compass
by idealrain
Summary: An extended scene. Victor sends Maggie a Christmas gift after Julie called. Don't own anything. The conversation in the flashback is from the 12-21-10 show.


Magical Compass

An extended scene. Victor sends Maggie a Christmas gift after Julie called. Don't own anything. The conversation in the flashback is from the 12-21-10 show.

"She doesn't want to talk to you," Julie murmured into the phone, after checking with Maggie. She left the room quietly.

"I know. Is she—I guess it's a hard time with Mickey and all…" Victor walked into the study and closed the door.

"Jen being here helps but yeah, she's in one of those moods. Victor, she's scaring herself. She seems to want to fall in love again but the timing is tripping her up. It has only been eight months since Mickey died and our generation was raised to wait a year before even thinking about dating."

"And I suppose being locked in a coffin and in the hospital for one of those months doesn't help either," Victor said glumly.

"Yeah, about that…." Julie teased, "Could you divorce your wife? It would help your case if Viv was gone and you were single."

"I know. Look, I bought her a gift. If I send it over with Melanie and Phillip, could you make sure she opens it?"

"Victor…" Julie hesitated.

"Please, I'll stop bothering her for a week," Victor pled.

"Fine. But it has better be good." Julie hung up.

"It is."

* * *

"Merry Christmas everyone! Wow, Ciara, what a pretty necklace! Hi, Maggie!" Melanie gave Maggie a hug.

"Grandma and Grandpa made us wait until you got here to open presents, Mel. And I had to take a nap," Ciara pouted.

"The reason for the nap is Uncle Roman and Sami are picking you up for midnight mass, and you know that, Ciara Alice. And it didn't kill you to be polite," Julie said sternly.

"Yes, Grandma. But can we open presents now?"

"Oh, I think we can," Doug said, with a twinkle in his eyes.

Soon the room was filled with wrapping paper. Phillip and Maggie exchanged a knowing look when Melanie opened a cookbook.

"You'll help me with these, right, Maggie?"

"Of course. The book comes with weekly cooking lessons at Chez Rogue. I love the spa weekend with you."

"It's going to be so much fun. Just the two of us," Melanie said.

Jennifer handed Maggie a gift. "This one has the prettiest paper."

"It does. Should I not open it so we admired the wrapping paper?" Maggie teased.

"Don't be silly, Aunt Maggie. Look I'll help," Ciara offered.

Maggie held a small box and opened it. A silver compass lay in the box, with a note _I lost my moral compass_. Maggie closed her eyes and thought about the conversation.

"_I lost my very best friend."_

"_Damnit, Victor you didn't jaywalk. You didn't fudge on your taxes. You left a woman in a coffin to die! Your only regret seems to be I hold it against you?"_

"_I just hope you won't blame yourself."_

"_Blame myself?"_

"_Well, look, at the consequences. You abandoned me and I lost my moral compass. Things could've been a lot different."_

"That's a really nice compass, Maggie, but don't have a GPS in your car?" Jennifer asked.

"I do." Maggie said, surprised at the tears in her eyes.

"Then why would someone give you a compass?"

"Oh, it was Dad, wasn't it? I'm so sorry," Phillip said.

"Why would Victor buy Aunt Maggie a Christmas present?" Jennifer asked.

No one was comfortable answering the question. Maggie sighed.

"Merry Christmas, everyone. I think I'll go home. I'm not feeling good."

"Maggie—" Julie started to say.

"No, Julie. This crossed the line. You knew I need space and you let the man send me a Christmas gift. It's all good and well to married your mother's widow but you had more than eight months to figure that out. You want to give me less than a year to move on from the love of my life and you just keep pushing. No, this is not all right. Go to hell, Julie."

"Maggie, I'll drive you home," Melanie said.

"Thank you, sweetie. Merry Christmas, everyone." Maggie walked out the room. Melanie shot Phillip a look.

* * *

"O.k. Why would Victor Kiriakis send Maggie a Christmas gift?" Jennifer demanded to know.

"There's a thing…." Phillip shrugged.

"She and Victor…." Julie paused, trying figure out the appropriate phase.

"Why don't you make some tea while Ciara and I play her new Wii game?" Doug suggested.

"Yay!"

"So Maggie and Victor started to have coffee, then Victor bought like a dozen houses, which seems really stalkerish in hindsight, and I really think that they would've started to date except for—" Phillip trailed off.

"Bo made Victor married Vivian to keep Carly safe. Which doesn't exactly make sense. But Bo isn't that logical on his best day," Julie said.

"So now Maggie's conflict because one, Victor's married and two, Mickey hasn't been dead that long," Phillip summed up.

"How does the whole sarcophagus thing play into this?" Jennifer asked.

"Vivian is a psycho who gets jealous?" Phillip offered.

"I'm so happy to be back home," Jennifer groaned.

* * *

Meanwhile Maggie and Melanie were in Maggie's kitchen, drinking coffee.

"So has Julie always been that tactless?"Melanie asked.

"Pretty much. Oh, I shouldn't have run out tonight."

"No, that's fine. I mean, you found out Nathan is moving to Baltimore, the whole Victor/Julie thing was ridiculous, and you're missing Mickey and Alice. Actually you're really cool considering all the things you are going through."

"Mmmm…." Maggie sipped her coffee.

"So, the gift?"

"We had this conversation once. Actually, it's funny because I've forgot about it until I got the compass. I hate to admit to this, but in some ways Victor suits me better now than Mickey would have. I loved Mickey but now I could fall in love with Victor. And scares me so much."

"Kind of like a runaway train, isn't? Maggie, Julie was out of line tonight. Whether you date anyone or never date again should be your choice. But I think Victor is good for you. I think you enjoy Victor's company. You need that in your life right now. But with boundaries," Melanie said.

"Mmm, the man hasn't met a boundary he doesn't cross," Maggie laughed.

"Yes, well, you know that. But you keep come back for more."

"I do," Maggie looked sheepish. "Could you give Victor something for me?"

"Of course."

* * *

Melanie drove back to the Kiriakis house. Phillip already returned and went to bed. Melanie found Victor in the dark with a brandy.

"Victor." She flipped a light on.

"Melanie. How's Maggie?" Victor asked.

"A little freak out. Victor, you need to let up on the romance. Maggie isn't ready for that. Just be friends for now," Melanie advised.

"Right. I should probably let up on the teasing and flirting then."

"Oh, yeah. By the way, Merry Christmas." Melanie tossed Victor a box.

Victor opened the box and found a coffee cup from Maggie's kitchen and a note.

_I would be open to having a friend over for coffee.-Maggie_


End file.
